The present invention relates to produce weighing scales, and is particularly directed to a produce weighing scale having a camera and methods of operating a produce weighing scale having a camera.
A typical produce weighing scale is located in the produce section of a retail grocery store, and is intended for use by retail store clerks. A retail store clerk weighs a produce item which is desired to be purchased by a retail customer, waits for a barcode chit to print, and then adhesively attaches the printed barcode chit to a bag or wrap which contains the produce item. When the customer is ready to checkout, the customer takes the bag or wrap to a self-service checkout pay station and scans the printed barcode chit. A drawback in this case is that a retail store clerk is needed to weigh the produce item. Another drawback is that a barcode chit needs to be printed and then adhesively attached to the bag or wrap which contains the produce item.
In some retail grocery stores, a produce weighing scale is located at the self-service checkout pay station. In this case, the customer weighs the produce item to be purchased when the customer checks out at the self-service checkout pay station. A drawback in this case is that the customer needs to handle produce items in a way which is different from the way in which non-produce items are handled. Another drawback is that the customer does not know the price of the produce item until the customer checks out at the self-service checkout pay station.
In some other retail stores, a customer may use a portable barcode gun to self scan items including produce items to be purchased. The customer can self scan items either before the customer arrives at the self-service checkout pay station or at the time when the customer arrives at the self-service checkout pay station. In the former case, a retail store clerk weighs the produce item on a produce weighing scale located in the produce section of the retail grocery store. In the latter case, the customer weighs the produce item on a produce weighing scale located at the self-service checkout pay station. In either of these two cases, the same drawbacks just described hereinabove are present. It would be desirable to provide an improved produce weighing scale and methods of operating such a produce weighing scale so that the customer need not have to handle produce items in a different way from non-produce items and so that barcode chits need not have to be printed for produce items.